Your Favorite Book(s)

[Flubber]

Originally posted by ajbera
I have Leyton's book as well. Newton's tome is an encyclopedia of 20th century serial killers, whereas (I say this for the benefit of those unfamiliar with either work, not you Flubber) Leyton's book is a sociological analysis of serial and mass murder, viewing the phenomenon as a form of social terrorism, focusing on 6 or 7 cases.

Ahh-- I am just suprised they both have the same title.

Originally posted by ajbera


My crime library is enormous. And I'm envious of your experiences with Leyton, you lucky SOB.

Fabulous and entertaining lecturer. I took his soc/anth course entitled "War and Aggression" which was probably the most interesting university course I ever took.

I was also quite fascinated by the class basis often found behind serial murder. For instance I was interested to learn that (during the ind. rev.) it was the upper crust that found victims among the emerging middle class that threatened their social position.

Modern serial killers are predominantly lower-middle class and find victims among the upper middle to upper class that they perceive as keeping them down. I believe Kemper was quoted as saying something along the lines that when we are dead we are all equal

[MosesPresley]

Originally posted by Flubber

Modern serial killers are predominantly lower-middle class and find victims among the upper middle to upper class that they perceive as keeping them down.

IINM, they prey mostly on prostitutes.

[ajbera]

While I think Leyton has a point about the middle-class perp with upper-class victims, it doesn't take into account the large number of serial killers who prey on prostitutes (female and male), and to a lesser extent, the homeless & indigent. But for a certain subset of killers, there does indeed seem to be a social warfare factor to their choice of victims.

[Flubber]

Originally posted by ajbera
While I think Leyton has a point about the middle-class perp with upper-class victims, it doesn't take into account the large number of serial killers who prey on prostitutes (female and male), and to a lesser extent, the homeless & indigent. But for a certain subset of killers, there does indeed seem to be a social warfare factor to their choice of victims.

The homeless and prostitutes are victims of convenience as it is relatively easy to get them in vulnerable positions. But some of the most famous serial killers never went after these groups at all preferring mainly university students

[Datajack Franit]

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera






no spoilers just go and get it

[ajbera]

My point is, that if you tallied up all the serial killers of, say, the 20th century (or even earlier), the majority did not choose victims from a higher social class. The kind of social terrorism that Leyton describes illustrates the motives of a subset of killers, but by no means the majority, although this minority includes high-profile cases like Bundy, Manson, Kemper, Berkowitz [again, debatable, given the possibility raised by Maury Terry that Berk was part of a group of Satanists responsible for the SOS murders, but given what we definitely know about the case, I'll give the social warfare theory the benefit of the doubt], etc. Zodiac may or may not be in this subset, and I'm unsure of Gacy.

I recognize your (and Leyton's) point, and there is truth to it, but I don't think it's the TRUTH of serial murder.

Even the earlier cases, like Gilles de Rais and Elisabeth Bathory, clear cases of a decadent aristocracy preying upon the "lower" classes, are mixed with cases of lower and middle-class killers choosing victims of opportunity.

[Bereta_Eder]

Originally posted by Datajack Franit
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

:banned vomit smilie:

[aneeshm]

Originally posted by Verres
Ah yes, but have you read any of them?

I've read them all , along with many others from my father's collection ( which exceeds my own ) .

[Gangerolf]

Originally posted by Datajack Franit
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera






no spoilers just go and get it

saw the movie

It looked like we would see some hot lesbo action and then nothing happened?!

[Bereta_Eder]

read the book. it's worse


but kudera is not worthless. there's also Âñáäýôçôá. (=slowness?)


1st book he's written directly to french instead of chech iirc

[Gangerolf]

Yeah, I like Kundera. Well I've only read "The Joke" but it's quite good.

[Bereta_Eder]

Yes well I just tried to read The unbearable blah blah etc and it was a drag. I'm not usually disturbed by sick writings but this was really boring and meaningless. It's not the sickness that put me off. I can stand Les Nuits Fauves without problem for example.

Slowness OTOH if that's the title in english was a pleasant read and did exactly what the instructions said: a critical eye on today's hectic pace. (crap english is restraining me, you should all have been greek)

[Datajack Franit]

:banned vomit smilie:

pah!

saw the movie

Yes, maybe you can watch the movie of a Shakespear´s book. It is obviously the same

[Zoid]

I don´t know if I have a favourite book. The books I have read the most times though is Lord of the rings and Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.

[Ben Kenobi]

If going by the condition of the books that I own, I would have to say Mere Christianity. Probably read that more then just about any other book.

I also have a fondness for Bernard Cornwell and his historical fiction. I got one a few Christmases ago, and haven't looked back since.